Dolls

In preparation for kindergarten Vivian has dropped her nap - on most days at least. Instead she spends quiet time in her room while the rest of the fam takes its siesta. Yesterday when I woke up she asked me to close my eyes and led me to the living room where she had arranged some of her favorite dolls on the couch. When I opened my eyes I found that she had made hats for each one and on each hat she had written a few letters to represent some thing important about the doll.

From left to right: Big Dolly, by far her favorite companion, "BT" for birthday because she got her on her second birthday. Tink, next, dressed in Big Dolly's original clothes, "HC DSNT" being Hong Kong Disney Land where she was acquired. Then comes Tiger with dark shading on his hat and "NOE ZOO" telling all that Tiger is from the Night Zoo (in Singapore). And finally Monkey who is really a child leash (strap the backpack on the kid and hold on to the leash) which we got for Vivian's first trip to India when she was about two and a half years old, indicated by "NDUI" for India.

All this detail because I am sure to forget which doll is what and when you are older, Vivian, you may too. You like Tiger almost as much as Big Dolly, which if I recollect correctly is actually Big Dolly No. 2. Sandy gave you the original one. You lost her somewhere and we quietly replace her.

Vivian's very first favorite soft toy was a blue Ganesh - this plush elephant god with a magnet embedded in one paw and his mouse attached magnetically to that paw and crinkly fabric in his ears that Vivian loved to crinkle. Jagruti had given Vivian the Ganesh at birth. Ganesh is no longer with us - a symbolic visarjan somewhere along the way.

Evan goes to sleep every night with a book under his left arm and Rocket Ship under his right. It has to be just that - no variations. Rocket Ship used to belong to Vivian. She loved the Little Einsteins. I don't think Evan has seen any episodes - so he has no context for the toy but he loves his Rocket Ship.